When taking a CBD product, especially for the first time, our main question is, “How long before I feel its effects?” But, once those effects have come and gone, there is another question to consider. “How long does CBD actually stay in the body for?”
We know that with most substances, the compounds remain present in some level long after the effects have worn off. So, to answer this question, we’ll need to consider some unique factors that have to do with how you maintain a routine with this cannabinoid.
HOW LONG DO THE EFFECTS OF CBD LAST FOR?
There is a big difference between how long the effects of a CBD-infused product last, and how long that cannabidiol (CBD) actually stays in your body. If you’re wondering how long the effects of a product can actually be felt, it depends on two things:
- How much you took, in terms of both dosage and milligram strength.
- The product type and delivery method that you chose to go with.
Because each person’s body is different, how much you took can yield a different duration of effects compared to someone else. For instance, a 50mg serving of a CBD tincture may be effective for 4 hours, and for another individual, 3 hours.
As for the delivery method, here’s a simple breakdown:
DO EMPLOYERS TEST FOR CBD USAGE?
First, it’s important to point out that there is no cannabidiol testing utilized by employers to test employees. Employers are never looking for CBD. Instead, however, they are looking for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is not present in detectable levels in any of the products at HalalCBD. In other words, you cannot get in trouble at work for taking CBD, since nobody is actually testing you for it.
HOW LONG IS CBD DETECTABLE IN THE BODY?
Cannabidiol, like all cannabinoids, is metabolized by a complex system of enzymes that allow the compounds to break down and leave the body through the function of the liver. This means that the CBD is stored in the body for a certain period of time before it’s fully metabolized.
So, how long is it actually present in the body?
The answer is somewhere between a few days up to a couple of weeks, on average. Now, the reason why this range is so wide is because it depends on a lot of factors.
FACTOR #1: HOW OFTEN YOU TAKE CBD
Yes, the frequency at which you use cannabidiol can make a difference. A single dose of CBD taken a week ago will unlikely still be in your system at the present. Someone who takes CBD daily, on the other hand, will likely retain trace amounts for a couple weeks after their last dose. Why? Because cannabinoids accumulate in the body, and the higher that accumulation, the longer it takes to break down.
FACTOR #2: HOW MUCH CBD YOU TAKE
Of course, quantity has a major role. Naturally, a single milligram of CBD will leave your body at a quicker rate than say 100 milligrams. How much you take depends on two things:
- The dosage amount you consume.
- A product’s milligram strength, which tells you how potent that said dosage is.
FACTOR #3: DELIVERY METHOD
The delivery method also has a role, similarly to how it determines how long you can feel the effects of cannabidiol in the body. As you may have guessed:
- Gummies and other edible products stay in the system for the longest period of time.
- Tinctures are cleared from the body more quickly.
- Topicals are different, however, as they are not taken internally, but rather applied to the skin. They just don’t last in the body for an extended period since the absorption rate into the bloodstream is extremely low. Instead, a lot of the product gets absorbed into the muscles and joint tissue.
FACTOR #4: YOUR BODY
How your body metabolizes cannabinoids can be unique. Some people simply produce more cannabinoid-metabolizing enzymes than others. Simply put, it means that for some people, cannabidiol will leave the system very quickly compared to others. There is really no way to tell how your body metabolizes CBD unless you are measuring levels in your urine on a daily basis, which most people do not have the resources to pull off.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR SOMEONE WHO TAKES MEDICATIONS?
If you’re taking medications, the above information is especially important. We always recommend that you talk to your doctor about taking cannabidiol, and a lot of this has to do with its potential to interact with medications that are broken down by the CYP3A4 enzyme. This enzyme can be suppressed by CBD, resulting in an accumulation of a medication in the body which can become toxic.
Even if you’re not actively experiencing the effects of cannabidiol, the fact that CBD is still in your system means it may have an impact on how well you metabolize medications. So, what you need to do before consuming any CBD product is to ask your doctor for more information, as each medication and individual experience is different.
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED TODAY?
- CBD does stay in your system for a while after your dosage has worn off.
- This only really matters if you’re taking medications that need to be broken down, which CBD might interfere with.
- Nobody is going to test you for CBD at work.
- The metabolization process is just as easy on the body as processing your favorite foods.